Although the referee did not spot the incident during the game and discipline Wilshere, television cameras spotted the England international making the gesture in the 69th minute when Arsenal was 4-2 down.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed he didn’t see what happened but that Wilshere must take the punishment for his actions.

“If he did it and he is banned then we will have to accept it,” Wenger said. “I don’t know if he did it.”

This isn’t the first-time a Premier League player has been involved in such an incident, as Liverpool striker Luis Suarez received a one-match ban and was fined $30,ooo for the same offense during a league game at Fulham in December 2011.

Wilshere has a history of being controversial on and off the pitch as the hot-headed midfielder was spotted smoking a cigarette outside a London pub earlier this season, is often outspoken on Twitter and is never far from controversy with his snappy challenges on the pitch.

We will have to wait and see whether or not referee Martin Atkinson includes the incident in his official report of the game but Wilshere clearly raised his middle finger to Man City’s fans when he didn’t agree with a corner kick handed to the home side.

It seems as though the pressure on Arsenal’s players is beginning to bubble up and Wilshere reacted in completely the wrong manner by provoking the crowd.